A Can Of Sparky Cola
by Space Surfer
Summary: A short series about Harper (Season Two Spoilers!!!!)
1. Fear

Disclaimer: I don't own them, yadda yadda yadda  
  
Authors Note: This was just a short series I thought about while suffering from writers block in my other stories. (Fear not though, new chapters will be coming soon) Hopefully I have more ideas for this series.   
By the way to read this you should see season two. Or at least the beginning of the series and know what happens.   
Please read and review (Would you judge me if I said the reviews are like a drug?)  
(Have I used that line before?) Anyway, on with the story...  
  
Fear  
  
Looking up from the floor my eyes first see the can of Sparky, held out towards me. No words are needed as she sits on the floor, passing over the can.   
  
I open the Sparky and take a gulp of the fizzy liquid, this taste never gets old. We sit in silence me drinking and studying the Sparky can even though I've seen a million of them, and she sits beside and fiddles with a piece of equipment.   
  
Finally I break the silence, unable to stand it and knowing this is one of the only people I can talk too.  
  
"I'm scared"  
  
She looks at me, sympathy in her eyes. "I know" she whispers, touching my knee gently.  
  
I take a deep breath, award of the few cuts and marks on my hands as I hold the cold can.   
  
"I don't want to die"  
  
The small inhaler feels so heavy on my chest, the black cord like a hang mans noose.  
  
"You're not going to die"  
  
Suddenly I'm angry. "How the hell can you be so damn sure Beka!" I ask, "These things are going to eat their way out of me, I'm going to die Beka, I don't want to die"  
  
Tears come to my eyes, I try to force them back but they fall anyway.  
  
"Trance will find a cure" Beka assures me, the hand squeezes my knee.   
  
"The only cure for this is death" I say, I hate the way my voice is so damn certain but growing up almost twenty years with Neitzschen's and magog, surrounded by death...  
  
Declan and Siobhan's paralysed faces come back to me in memory.  
  
"Don't say that" Beka's voice cracks as she pulls me into a hug; I place the can on the floor just in time as I fall backwards.  
  
"Please don't let them come out of me," I whisper through the tears.  
  
Beka's face is also stained with tears as she looks down on me,  
  
"I don't want to lose you Seamus" she whispers, "You survived so much that you can't let this beat you."   
  
I laugh harshly. "Ya know, when you picked me up, and when we found the Andromeda I thought I was finally safe from this."  
  
"I'm sorry I couldn't protect you, but I promise you we'll fix this" Beka hugs me tighter so it almost hurts.  
  
"Don't make promises you can't keep boss"   
  
"Hey I don't break my promises" Beka says, "So I promise you Seamus Harper, we will fix you"  
  
I can't reply, my voice doesn't seem to be working but again no words are needed. We sit hugging, still on the Andromeda's floor, the Sparky can forgotten. 


	2. Freedom

Authors Notes: The second part of my series. Their only short little tags that I wanted to write but I thought were too short the be on their own, hence my series, all which will properly involve Sparky (Bet ya couldn't have got that by the title) Anyway, read and in enjoy and as always please review!   
  
By the way thank you to Shaz, Harper's Pixie, Claire and MaryRose who reviewed Fear.   
  
Freedom  
  
The tiny pinpricks of light shine at me as I stand in the Obs Deck, Dylan is long gone and I think about the last few words.   
  
"Either way he won"   
  
We used to watch the stars on Earth, what you could see through the crap in the air. We found a small, quiet area once and Brendan and I watched the stars, talking in whispers about all the adventures we could have.   
I sigh, I should have stayed, helped Brendan to fight, help make a difference.   
  
"You couldn't have changed anything Harper" Rommie says stepping beside me and placing a can on the small ledge I leaning on. "Beka said you might want a can of cola."  
  
I smile, knowing Beka's meaning behind the can. "How did you know what I was thinking?" I ask the AI  
  
Rommie smiles back "I know my engineer Harper."  
  
"Thanks Rommie, and I don't just mean for the Sparky."  
  
I raise the can to her and take a mouthful.   
  
Rommie continues talking "I can see what you wanted to fight for. Sometimes I have trouble, as a warship, remembering the people."  
  
"That's the only thing on that hunk of rock worth anything Rommie" I mutter over the can.  
  
"And I'm sorry to say that I found that out too late."   
  
Me too Rom-doll, I think silently.   
  
"I ran away again," I say "Brendan was right, I am a coward"  
  
"Your not a coward Harper," Rommie says, "Sometimes you have to run, in battle or in life. Look at it this way, if you didn't leave then I might have been trapped in that black hole forever."  
  
"Yeah but..."   
  
Rommie cuts me off "And then you would have gone back to Earth and started the revolt for their freedom."  
  
"Do you think it made a difference?" I ask, my voice bitter.  
  
Rommie nods, "You both started something Harper"   
  
For a second she had lost me, "What?"   
  
"A fight" Rommie said, absently moving a finger up and down the can I had placed back on the ledge.  
  
"Dylan said no matter what happened Brendan won" I mutter "Brendan said the same thing about my parents. But I don't know if the price of winning is worth that much"   
  
"The price of winning may not be" Rommie says "But the price of freedom is. And that's what Brendan gave them, what your parents gave you. Freedom" 


	3. Namesake

Authors Notes: Again a short 'n' sweet little piece with our yummy engineer! Please review!   
  
Namesake  
  
Harper opened another cupboard searching through the contents and slamming it shut again.   
  
"Where the hell's my freaking beer," he muttered trying another cupboard again with no luck.   
  
"What are you looking for?" A voice asked from the doorway. Harper looked over to see the new crewmember standing their watching him, a curious look on her face. She had only been on board for a couple of weeks but Harper was beginning to like the mysterious purple alien.   
  
"A beer" Harper explained "Can I help you Trance?"   
  
"I was just wondering what you were doing." Trance said smiling "And you won't find any alcohol, Beka threw it all away."   
  
Harper scowled "Great, I really need a drink"   
  
"Well I brought this new drink when we stopped for supplies on that drift." Trance said with a smile "I liked the name"   
  
She went over to the fridge and pulled out a can, passing it over to the engineer. "Beka doesn't like it, but you might"   
  
"Sparky Cola" Harper read "Warning: Do not operate heavy machinery or navigate the slipstream while under the influence of this beverage"   
  
He raised an eyebrow and took a slip from the can. "Not bad" he said with and grin, jumping to sit on the counter.  
  
"Um...Harper can I ask you something?" Trance said   
  
"What is it?" Harper asked, taking another mouthful of the fizzy liquid.   
  
"Where did you get your name? Harper's a really strange name."  
  
"So is Trance" Harper said, grinning but unsure where this conversation was going.   
  
"Yes but your human" Trance said, sitting beside him.   
  
"Harper's my last name" he explained, "My full name is Seamus Zelazny Harper"   
  
"So why do you go by Harper and not Seamus?"   
  
Harper swallowed wondering how to explain. Trance looked innocently at him, waiting for an answer.   
  
**************************  
  
"Come on now Seamus blow out the candle."   
  
The now five-year-old boy took a deep breath and closed him eyes.   
  
"Make a wish," His father said as Seamus blew old the candle on top of his piece of bread.   
  
Seamus opened his eyes as his family cheered. He grinned and his mother passed his baby brother over to his father so she could pick up her oldest son.  
  
He giggled as she hugged him and gave his mother the cheeky grin she knew so well. Even when they had to go days without any food Seamus still managed to smile for her.   
  
"You live up to your namesake" She said to her son.   
  
"What's a nameshake mommy?"  
  
"It's namesake Seamus, and it's when you're named after some one, someone important."  
  
"So who am I nameded after?" The little boy in her arms asked.  
  
His mom smiled, tears coming to her eyes. "When I was little I had a twin brother called Seamus. He was my best friend in the whole world and whenever I was upset Shay could always make me laugh."  
  
"That's what you call me!" Seamus exclaimed, "You call me Shay"  
  
"That's because it's what I used to call my brother too." His mom said   
  
"So how comes I haven't meets him?" Seamus whispered looking up at him mom   
  
"When we were ten some Neitzschean's came and took Seamus away from us." She whispered, a tear falling, "So when you were born I called you after him. He was my most favourite person in the world."  
  
Seamus fidgeted round in her lab to face he properly "I'm gonna always make you laugh mommy. Just like my nameshake"  
  
His mom laughed and Seamus smiled when hearing it. "You all ready do Seamus. Now I think all your cousins are waiting for you."   
  
***********************************  
  
"My mom gave me the name Seamus" Harper whispered looking over at Trance.  
  
The purple alien's tail was twisting round her nervously, the young girl wondering if she had started the wrong conversation. She hadn't known the engineer for that long, only a few weeks but had never seen him look so said before; he normally hid everything under a bright grin and a sarcastic comment.   
  
"Do you mind me asking what happened to her?" She asked gently, knowing form experience that sometimes talking to people about bad things helped.   
  
"She died, saving me" He was even more quiet now, barley above a whisper.   
  
***********************************  
  
Someone was outside the house; Seamus could hear them moving around. Booted feet stepping on the broken glass. The young boys lay with his eyes closed, barely daring to breath. The body beside him moved and a little voice whispered "Shay what's goin' on?"   
  
"Stay still Liam, and be quiet" Seamus whispered back, his body tense, listening to the noise outside.   
  
He could hear his mom and dad in the next room, they were talking softly, so Seamus couldn't hear all the words. One word stuck out though. Neitzschean. Liam's small head poked up from under the blanket.   
  
"Why did mommy say Neitzsion?" he stumbled over the word, his three year old face full of innocence.   
  
Seamus swallowed ""It's okay Liam, stay quiet"  
  
The younger boy fell silent, trusting his big brother. A figure moved in the darkness and Seamus recognised the footsteps of his mother. Her blond hair hung down in strands and her face was pale.   
  
"Shay, sweetie are you awake?"   
  
Seamus opened his blue eyes and nodded. His mother sat on the end of the bed, being careful not to squash Liam. "I need you to listen to me okay?"   
  
Again Seamus nodded, a sinking feeling in his stomach.   
  
"I want you to take Liam and go out the back way, and go to over aunts."   
  
He opened his mouth to argue but his mother stopped him.   
  
"Take him and run Shay, just run."  
  
***********************************  
  
"I'm sorry Harper" Trance said softy, gently touching his arm.   
  
"You didn't know" Harper said, "It's okay, it was long time ago."  
  
She nodded not quite convinced but not wanting to say anything else that could upset him. He downed the last of his Sparky Cola and smiled   
  
"Hey Purple Sparky one, this stuff is great. I think I'll have another one."   
  
Trance smiled back but before she could say anything Beka's voice came over the speaker "Everyone we have reached Infinity Atoll, pack your sun block and we will go down and met our employer."   
  
Harper jumped loudly off the table followed by Trance though the later was quieter.   
  
"You heard the lady," he said, letting Trance out the room first. "Hey, do you think we'll be able to buy anymore Sparky's while we're down there?" 


	4. Small Light

Authors Notes:This is a tag to 'Slip fighters the dogs of war'. If you haven't seen it then this might be confusing.   
Please read and review me!   
  
Thanks to Harper's Pixie….Shaz…..ECHO…..Claire and Andraste for reviewing Freedom and Namesake.   
  
  
Small Light  
  
I can see her, silhouetted against the contrasting lights of the Ob's deck. She is staring out towards the stars, her mind lost in the vast universe that's stretched before us. I wanted to talk to her earlier, before the mission, but I didn't get time. I wanted to tell her during the service but I kept getting stuck on the words with everyone watching.   
  
I take a quick deep breath and step up beside her, following her gaze to the stars. I'm the first to break the silence between us.   
  
"Hey"  
  
"Hey", and a sad smile is all I get in return.   
  
Watching her I can see he shadow of my old Trance, I can imagine a purple tail drooped sadly behind her. She may have changed into a golden warrior but I can see behind that, I can see the innocent remains of the sparky purple pixie. The purple pixie who is grieving right now and needs her best friend.   
  
"I've had a lot of cousins", I whisper, "ya know?"   
  
"A lot of cousins" she whispered back.   
  
I smiled sadly, "Yeah"  
  
"I forgot how much this hurts Harper" she said, "It was six years ago, but Mesmer was just an innocent"  
  
I can see my cousins in my mind, Brendan and his little sister Cathy. The twins smiling faces…  
  
"Ya know Rommie was right" I smile, my cousins faces held in my mind, "Nothing ever truly disappears."   
  
I bring one of my hands round from behind my back and place a can of Sparky Cola on the small ledge. She gives me a confused look as I open the can and take a sip.   
  
"Try some"   
  
"Why?" she asked wrinkling her nose at the very idea.   
  
"Try some" I repeated.  
  
She took the can and took a small mouthful, pulling a face at the taste.   
  
I grinned and passed her the can again. "Take some more."  
  
"But I don't like it" she protested but I still held the can in front of her.   
  
"Trust me" I said as she took the can again and took a second mouthful.   
  
"It still tastes disgusting" Trance said putting the can back on the edge.   
  
"If you don't like it, it will do" I said wondering if she was going to understand what I wanted to say.   
  
Again I take the can and hold it out to her, "Big mouthful this time"  
  
"I still don't understand"   
  
"I know"  
  
Sighing she takes the cola and shallows two mouthfuls, looking over at me in surprise.   
  
"It tastes a lot sweeter."  
  
"Soon it won't taste bad at all" I said "Soon you'll only remember the good"  
  
Light dawned in Trances mind, "It's still the same situation, but…"  
  
"…The cola tastes better," I said with a smile, glad she understood.   
  
I drank the last of the cola in one go and grinned at the taste. I set the can back onto the ledge and brought my other hand round from behind my back.   
  
I set the daffodil in the sparky can. Trance smiled and wiped her face with one hand.  
  
"Thank you Harper" she said gently touching the flower. It seemed to glow under her touch but I blinked and it was gone. I grinned at my alien friend and remembered Dylan's words earlier,   
  
"It's what I do"  
  
  
Authors Notes:I hope everyone understood me. I had this idea while drinking a Red Bull and it came to me. 


	5. Not Named As Of Yet But Will Be Soon

A/N:Okay so I know I haven't posted NE thing Andromeda for a LOOOOOOOOOOOONNNNNNNNNGGGGGGGG time now but in my defence they have taken it off Sky One and my friend Sarah stole ALL my videos. I think she was planing to hold them hostage. Anyway here is a new story for this series I'm writing. I still intend to write The Cult but I have writers block and don't know where to go on that story for the moment so I will look through it soon and plan how to continue.   
  
Anyway. Thank you to all that reviewed Small Light, thats Lila and Harpers pixie. Sorry if I've missed anyone. So if I have then thanks you as well. I'll let you read the story now!   
Harper grinned to himself as he watched the bleary eyed captain Valentine still dressed in her pyjamas stumbled into the small kitchen and sat down heavily in the chair beside him.   
  
"Buy ya a drink beautiful?" he drawled with a grin.   
  
The blond captain looked up and returned her engineers smile, "You're a little short for me, but I can't pass up a free drink"  
  
Harper got to him feet and moved over to the small fridge and pulled out two cans of Sparky Cola.  
  
"So…good night last night?" Beka asked  
  
The Maru had landed on a small drift for 24 hours, initially to pick up small spare parts but both friends had agreed they needed some R n R, especially after their last salvage run.   
  
"You bet ya" Harper said eagerly as he passed her a can and answered her question. He paused at Beka's raised eyebrow and said, "Well it was okay, I mean I met this chick with three…"  
  
"Down boy"  
  
Harper laughed and took a mouthful of his drink, "What about your night out boss?"   
  
Beka smiled, "Let me put it this way. There were about five remotely cute guys in the whole bar. Two of which were into each other. One that was on flash and out of the final two, one brought me a drink and turned out to be a sexist pig."  
  
Harper couldn't help but smile at his friend's exasperation as she took a large drink of Sparky and scowled at the taste.   
  
"Remind me again why I hate being single?" Beka asked  
  
"Don't look at me boss. Though my charm and good looks are always on demand it's hard to find that special someone."   
  
Beka laughed lightly at Harpers lop sided grin. It wasn't very often the young Earth refugee gave a smile that truly reached his eyes.   
  
"I guess we're gonna end up old and alone." Beka said with a sad smile finishing the last of her can of cola.   
  
Also finishing his cola Harper regarded the can thoughtfully, a memory of his life on Earth came back to him with one of his best friends.   
  
"Ya know there's something you can do with cans like this to see who you'll marry."  
  
Beka raised an eyebrow. "Really, what?"   
  
"Well you pull the ring pull backwards and forwards while saying the letters of the old English alphabet. The letter the pull breaks at is the first name of who you're going to marry."  
  
"Really? I've never heard of that."   
  
"Wanna give it a try?"   
  
Beka shrugged, "Why not."   
  
She gently took the ring pull in her hand and bent it back and forward, saying the old Earth alphabet as she did so.   
  
"A…B…C…D…E…F…G…H…I…J…K…L…M…N…O…P…Q…R….S"  
  
At the same time Harper did the same thing saying slowly  
  
"A…B…C…D…E…F…G…H…I…J…K…L…M…N…O…P…Q…R"  
  
The two friends looks at each other and Beka raised an eyebrow.   
  
"Seamus?"   
  
Harper grinned "Rebecca? Well I never considered that before."  
  
Beka laughed, "No way half pint. I mean what would we tell the kids? We got married because the sparky can told us to."   
  
She punched her engineer lightly on the arm at the look he gave her when she said the word 'kids'. Harper mock scowled and retaliated to the punch by tickling Beka lightly on the ribs knowing how much she hated that. The action gave him the reaction she wanted as the normally calm star ship captain shrieked and tickled Harper back. Harper tried to run back Beka held on tight and forced him to the floor still tickling as she went. Laughter filled the small ship as they finally stopped and sat on the floor leaning against the cabinets.  
  
Harper smiled as he looked fondly over at his friend, her blond hair sticking up in various directions, still dressed in her pyjamas. He knew he didn't look much better and he glanced over at the clock, which read 0613.   
  
"I think we already act like a old married couple Bek" he said with a smile.   
  
Smiling back Beka replied, "Are not!" 


End file.
